Brent Sass into McGrath! Photo Credit: J. Westrich

Spent the night at the Iditarod Trail Roadhouse in McGrath, Alaska – population 479. Waiting for dog teams to come in I found myself grabbing a bunk, and settling in with some coffee….and new friends. If you recall from earlier this week there is a lot of HURRY UP! And WAIT involved in the Iditarod. So what happens when teams aren’t in the checkpoint?  Actually, quite a lot.

Iditarod Trail Roadhouse, McGrath, Alaska! Photo Credit: J. Westrich

Logistics is constantly working to organize the movement of people, supplies, and dogs up and down the Trail. No rest for the weary. It is a flurry of activity – calls, messages, flight updates, people in and out asking questions and hoping to solve problems!

Bridgett Watkins pulls into McGrath in a spitting rain. She and her team were in great spirits this morning! Photo Credit: J. Westrich

For the rest of us, waiting on teams and departure information, the GPS tracker is up on the big screen; a source of constant speculation as to when the next musher will arrive. Will the musher stay? Will they move on? Will they have returned dogs?  What is their strategy? Discussion revolves around the current race, past races, and stories of the trail as future dreams of “next year I think I’m going to run it” get tossed about.

Deke Naaktgeboren’s team gets their own meal and rest at the McGrath checkpoint. Photo Credit: J. Westrich

Coffee is constant, and food is set out for meals; soups and crackers when I arrived, macaroni and cheese and ribs at dinner, french toast and bacon at breakfast. This isn’t exactly roughing it, but it is a communal dining experience where each meal brings a new friend to the table. I was lucky enough to grab a bunk and sleep in a room with about 20 strangers, but it was a bed and not the floor. So far, I have been living the luxury Trail experience. 

The dining room, where all the good chow and better conversation happen. Photo Credit: J. Westrich

Bunk room where tired volunteers can catch some zzz’s! Photo Credit: J. Westrich

Perhaps the biggest take-away from the past 24 hours in McGrath is the joy of conversation. Yes, you’ll catch people reading a book, or media crew on their computers….but mostly everyone’s device is tucked away, games like Uno and Rummy are played, laughter is shared – and a few tears here and there as friendships are rekindled. It reminds me that we need to turn off the screen, share a smile, introduce ourselves, and engage in conversation with strangers. In the digital communication age this feels risky, but just like the risk taking involved in any great adventure, opening up to talk with strangers brings great reward.  I’m connected with people from Idaho to North Carolina, all of us connected by this great race, and the good fortune to be in the Roadhouse at the same time. 

As I sit typing this I was just informed that due to freezing rain all flights are grounded for the time-being and I’ll have to hang out in McGrath a little longer. I think I can handle that and I wonder, what’s for lunch?

Shared this magnificent sunset with dozens of new friends in McGrath last night. Photo Credit: J. Westrich